I do relief maps of California with my fourth graders. We used strips of white tissue paper dipped in liquid starch. The kids "build up" the mountainous regions and form the ridges with their fingers. When dry, we painted them. It turns out great!

I teach 4th grade in California. We make relief maps using a product called celluclay - you just add water and it makes a paper mache which is easy to use and dries in a couple of days. We make our maps in the bottom of unused pizza boxes. After the celluclay dries (put books on the closed boxes so they don't warp) we color a paper map to glue on the inside top cover of the pizza box - then we paint the celluclay the same colors. The paper map includes a map key so the regions of CA are identified. Our last step is to make decorate the outside cover and sides of the pizza box. It's a great project, the students learn a lot and love doing it!

I would like more information on making the relief map. I teach thrid grade and we are finishing up our map study. I have never made this type of map before but am very interested in its learning aspects. Thank you

When I was young and had a similar project to do for a class assignment, my Mom made a salt dough that was like playdough. It dried fairly quickly and was very easy to paint with bright colors. I have since used it with 2nd, 3rd, 4th, and 5th graders. It was as much fun to use as a teacher as it had been for me when I was a stuent. It was also quite inexpensive as I only used flour, water, and salt. A playdough recipe is all you need, and you can make as much or as little as you need.

Do you have the exact recipe? I've been given the duty of bringing in brown dough for the 4th graders' relief map of VA and we can't find a good way to make brown. Any ideas? Email to cefoye@aol.com ... pretty please asap! Thanks!!!

if you need a recipe for salt dough, it is super easy. 2 cups flour one cup salt and one cup water. when mixing it for a class I usually do it in 3 cups salt and water and 6 cups flour. I mix the flour and the salt first and then mix in the water with my hands. it is a bit messy but really easy. if it is too sticky just add a little more flour. Also, it lasts for about a week if you keep it refrigerated and sealed in a plastic bag.